The Princess and the Pirate

A vicious pirate called the Hook (Victor McLaglan) and his gang invade a boat carrying a princess (Virginia Mayo) and quick change artist Sylvester the Great (Bob Hope). They're kidnapped but escape and soon found themselves neck deep in danger.

Amusing Bob Hope comedy with him constantly throwing off one liners left and right. This is a lavish production with great sets and costumes (especially Mayos) and shot in bright Technicolor. It's OK but not great--it's way too plot heavy (especially for a comedy)and some of Hope's jokes are real groaners or very 1944 (how many people are going to get a joke about Gypsy Rose Lee?).

Hope is fun, Mayo is beautiful and McLaglan is actually quite funny as the pirate. An amusing comedy with a great closing gag. Kids might like it more than adults--some of the characters here are so broadly played than I found it annoying but children might find it hysterical. I give it a 7.

Bob Hope and Virginia Mayo star in this hilarious comedy about a tenth-rate actor who gets mixed up with beautiful women, corrupt politicians, pirates and treasure maps. Hope really looks like he's enjoying himself, and when you get a load of Virginia Mayo, you'll see why. She has never looked more ravishing--the gorgeous Technicolor photography actually works better for her than it did for Maureen O'Hara, who was known as "The Queen of Technicolor"--and shows an unexpected flair for comedy. Victor McLaglen seems to be having a blast as the evil pirate The Hook, Walter Slezak plays the crooked governor in another one of his fine oily villain performances, and Walter Brennan is a scream as a crazed pirate who takes a shine to Hope. Some hilarious comic routines--especially one where Hope pretends to be The Hook--and several surprisingly good action scenes, which you don't often see in comedies, make this one of Hope's best pictures without Bing Crosby (well, for the most part). Don't miss it.

This one is so much better than Hope's later romp in the swashbuckling genre called CASANOVA'S BIG NIGHT.

VIRGINIA MAYO displays comic flair as Princess Margaret, the lovely Technicolor photography doing her full justice as the costumed princess running away from the villains with the cowardly Sylvester the Great (BOB HOPE) at her side. Hope is at his comic best, delivering every line with the sort of casual flair for comedy that served him so well during his early years at Paramount.

But having the most fun are VICTOR McLAGLEN as the hook-bearing pirate with a devilish gleam in his eye; WALTER BRENNAN as the maniacal, half-witted pirate called Featherbrain who relishes every scene and gives one of his best supporting role performances; and WALTER SLEZAK as the wicked man who wants the treasure map and Mayo for his own.

Not to be outclassed by these comic performances, we also have HUGO HAAS as the cabaret owner who shares some priceless one-liners with Hope who auditions for a job in his cabaret. The drinking scene is one of the highlights of the film.

Directed at a frantic pace by David Butler, this is one of Hope's most enjoyable romps and it's all dressed up in fancy Technicolor and lavish sets and costumes.

Not to be missed, if you're a Hope fan.

Loads of wacky fun in this costume comedy that features Hope and Mayo who try to elude "The Hook," played with devilish charm by Victor McLaglen. Great gags, rousing excitement and even a cameo by a crooner named Crosby.

The Princess and the Pirate finds Virginia Mayo taken prisoner by the infamous pirate the Hook played by Victor McLaglen. She's a princess who's run away to marry a commoner, a reverse on what had happened in the United Kingdom a few years back. Unfortunately the only help she can find is a ham actor who's running away from bad notices and bill collectors and he's none other than Bob Hope.

Hope did two films for Samuel Goldwyn and Goldwyn paid dear to Paramount for his services. Right after this film, success though it was, the price for Hope's services convinced Goldwyn he'd better sign a comedy star of his own as he had in the Thirties with Eddie Cantor. That was why Danny Kaye was brought over from New York to start his Hollywood career in Goldwyn's next film.

But The Princess and the Pirate turned out to be one of the biggest successes for both Sam Goldwyn and Bob Hope. Hope is really at the top of his game in this one. Virginia Mayo makes a perfect foil for Hope, it's a pity she didn't do more films with him. Walter Brennan plays an addled old pirate who's not quite as dumb as he lets everyone think he is and he and McLaglen compete with Hope for laughs.

The only one who looks like he's enjoying himself, but playing it very straight is crooked island governor Walter Slezak. He's got a working arrangement with McLaglen, but the two of them aren't above a little double cross.

Of course this is a Bob Hope movie and Hope manages to blunder his way through to survival. But as we learn he loses Mayo right at the end to a visiting bit player from Paramount.

Hope did make good on his word, he never did do another film for Goldwyn again. I guess he wanted to go out on a high note and The Princess and the Pirate is as high a comic note as Bob Hope ever struck in any of his films. Not to be missed by his legion of fans.